"We want to consolidate our teams and saw an opportunity to secure space in a new, modern, state-of-the-art complex that offers us the amenities we feel are necessary to do our work and attract and maintain our valued workforce," spokesman Daren Beaudo said in an email.

Employees from the "Lower 48" business unit will move from westside offices, including the WestLake Park and Park 10 off Interstate 10, into the new buildings beginning in 2015. The company occupies about 620,000 square feet in those locations. In addition, approximately 200 workers will transfer from Midland.

ConocoPhillips signed a long-term lease for 850,000 square feet. That includes all of Energy Center Three, a 20-story tower under construction, and half of the 22-story Energy Center Four, which is expected to break ground later this year.

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"This segment represents the largest business in ConocoPhillips today, and we expect it to grow," Beaudo said.

Major areas of focus, he said, include the Eagle Ford Shale, Bakken Shale and Permian Basin. The company is also expanding its deep-water exploration program in the Gulf of Mexico.

The new buildings are going up at the southwest corner of Interstate 10 and North Eldridge Parkway, just across I-10 from the firm's 1.4 million-square-foot headquarters campus. ConocoPhillips employs about 3,100 people in the Houston area and 17,100 companywide.

The office space design process is just getting underway, but the company expects as many as 2,100 employees to work in the new buildings, which are being developed by Trammell Crow Co. in partnership with Principal Real Estate Investors.

The development site includes another six acres, and Trammell Crow said it will soon start the design process on another building.

"There's a lot of large-tenant demand that's out there," said Aaron Thielhorn, managing director with Trammell Crow in Houston.

Builder launches

Two former Perry Homes executives have launched a residential building company, another sign the market for new homes is going strong.

Brothers Stephen and Kenneth Najvar left their positions as division presidents to start Ravenna Homes. Ravenna is a town in Italy where their parents met.

They will start building next month in Firethorne, a 1,400-acre master-planned residential community in the Katy/Fulshear area. Their 3,030-square-foot, one-story floor plan will include four bedrooms, three baths and a three-car garage.

"The new-home market is strong, and we decided it was time to leave to do our own thing," Stephen Najvar said.

Indeed, housing starts spiked 33 percent during the first three months of 2013, according to data released last week from Metrostudy.

Builders have been especially active in the northern and western parts of town where jobs, largely tied to energy, have been growing.

Firethorne had its best year ever in 2012, with 280 new-home sales.

Ferrari satellite

Thousands of those jobs are high-paying ones, and luxury brands are taking note.

In the northern part of town, for example, Exxon Mobil Corp. is preparing to relocate 10,000 employees and other energy companies are expanding in the area as well.

Ferrari of Houston, which opened 33 years ago, is putting a store in The Woodlands Town Center. The 5,015-square-foot space, now in the design stages, will be at 1501 Lake Robbins Drive.

"We believe The Woodlands is the perfect fit for our Ferrari satellite dealership," Giuseppe Risi, owner of Ferrari of Houston, said in a statement. "We are excited to become part of this community."

Luxury builder Toll Brothers hopes to give those new Ferrari owners a place to park their $200,000 sports cars.

The Horsham, Pa.-based firm is preparing to start a community, east of the Exxon Mobil campus, that's being designed for 1,350 high-end homes.

A local executive said housing demand in the area was strong before the energy giant announced its intentions to build a large campus. But the Exxon effect is a nice boost.

"The Exxon move has maybe accelerated and exaggerated the demand impact we're seeing and maybe made us feel a little better," said Karl Mistry, Houston division president.